Mormon missionaries come calling on social media

Brian Ashton leads one of three groups of Mormon missionaries in the Houston area. Among them: Elders Michael Case, 20, left, Kyle Nottingham, 21, right, and Sisters Staci Petersen, 20, left rear, and Michaelah Thompson, 19, in Sugar Land. less

Brian Ashton leads one of three groups of Mormon missionaries in the Houston area. Among them: Elders Michael Case, 20, left, Kyle Nottingham, 21, right, and Sisters Staci Petersen, 20, left rear, and Michaelah ... more

Photo: Johnny Hanson, Staff

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Sister Stephanie Haertel, 22, embraces social networking as a "huge way to connect with different people." Part of the Utah native's work in Houston has included instructing John Palmer, 63, on how to use a genealogy website to research his family tree at the LDS church's chapel in Sugar Land. less

Sister Stephanie Haertel, 22, embraces social networking as a "huge way to connect with different people." Part of the Utah native's work in Houston has included instructing John Palmer, 63, on how to use a ... more

Photo: Johnny Hanson, Staff

Mormon missionaries come calling on social media

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Mormons get it. When you're busy at home, sitting down to dinner or just watching TV, a knock at the door from a stranger interested in introducing you to his or her faith might just be annoying.

Officials with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have declared that the practice of sending its young missionaries door-to-door in search of souls should come to an end. But they might be reaching out to you on Facebook and Twitter.

In a worldwide broadcast recently, LDS Church President Thomas Monson and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles announced changes in the way that young men and women will conduct their mission work. Door-to-door proselytizing - known as "tracting" - will be de-emphasized, while social networking will be encouraged.

At the same time, Mormon meeting houses, traditionally unstaffed and closed when a service or organized church activity is not underway, will function as centers for missionaries to serve their communities.

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Monson and others in the Quorum said the changes are intended to make mission work more effective.

"We're out to bring people closer to Jesus Christ," said Brian Ashton, president for the church's Texas Houston South Mission.

"Our mission is to invite, not to annoy," he said. "Sometimes knocking on doors is annoying to people."

Those front-porch visits haven't been that common in Houston lately. Ashton said the practice stopped here about a year ago.

There are about 60,000 Mormons in the Houston area and the faith is growing quickly - adding six new churches, or "stakes," in the last decade.

Support system key

Matt Martinich, who works with the nonprofit Cumorah Foundation which analyzes LDS church growth, said that the most important element in gaining new members is that current members are involved. And, of course, that's not limited to the LDS church, he added.

He said that when missionaries find converts and get them baptized, their efforts are more effective if those new converts are socialized into a congregation by those already in it. So missionaries alone aren't effective unless there's a support system in place.

Also, he said that the most effective way to find people who are interested in learning more about Mormonism is through people who are already part of the congregation.

Ashton explained that missionaries here try to meet people in public places and through community service work. For example, one enterprising group in the Clear Lake area draws faith-based chalk art, hoping to engage curious passers-by.

Sister Stephanie Haertel, a 22-year-old Utah native who's near the end of her mission term here, said she recently was part of a group doing neighborhood cleanup work in the Hermann Park area.

"Social networking is a huge way to connect with different people. It's a great tool," Haertel said. People I've gotten to know here, when I get back home I can look them up on Facebook, and we can be connected."

Open church facilities

Two other Houston-area missionaries, Sisters Michaelah Thompson, 19, and Staci Petersen, 20, are excited about the potential for using the Internet, Face­book, Twitter and even Skype to engage people about their faith.

"It's going to appeal more to the younger generation, but we will also be able to appeal to everyone," Petersen said.

Ashton said that social networking has been tried on a pilot basis elsewhere and he's not sure how long it will take to launch here, but it's a welcome, contemporary change.

He seemed more excited, though, about the opportunities available through open church facilities.

For example, missionaries currently teach genealogy and language classes - English and Spanish. But those who are musically inclined might be able to use church facilities to offer free piano lessons. Or the gymnasiums might be opened for people to play sports, Ashton said.

"We believe that we have something good to offer. If that has appeal to them, we'd love to share it with them," said Ashton. "This is a less invasive way to do that."

Nearly 700 Mormon missionaries work in Houston through three groups - Ashton's "South" group, plus the Texas Houston Mission, and the Texas Houston East Mission.

Missionary numbers got a big bump here and elsewhere about 18 months ago when the LDS church lowered the minimum age for starting service work. Now, young men can start their mission work at age 18 (instead of 19) and women can participate at 19 (instead of 21).

More missionaries

Prior to the age change, the three local groups each had about 150 missionaries; now they each have about 225, Ashton said. By the end of the year, the LDS church is expected to have 85,000 missionaries working worldwide.

Martinich said he believes the shift to social networking and other outreach work is directly related to the increasing number of Mormon missionaries.

"This whole process of adjusting missionary tactics is strongly related to that because one of the questions that has come up is, 'How can we use these missionaries most effectively?' We don't want to warehouse missionaries so they can say they did it. We want it to have an impact on their lives and the lives of others around them."